There’s no denying that a facelift can take years off your appearance by tightening sagging skin on the lower face, redefining your jawline, and restoring youthful contours, but did you know that it can also be the perfect opportunity to enhance and harmonize your overall face? At Edina Plastic Surgery, we believe in a holistic approach to facial aesthetics that appreciates and respects the delicate balance between facial features. That’s why many of our patients choose to pair their facelifts with complementary facial surgeries that elevate their results, reduce downtime, and deliver the most natural-looking outcomes.
“During my facelift consultations, I always remind patients that while a facelift is highly effective for lifting and tightening the lower face and neck, it really doesn’t address age-related changes around the eyes, brows, or midface,” explains Dr. Brian Kobienia, a board-certified plastic surgeon and partner at Edina Plastic Surgery. “That’s why combining complementary procedures with your facelift, like a brow lift to elevate drooping brows, blepharoplasty to refresh tired eyes, neck liposuction to sculpt under the chin, or fat transfer to restore youthful volume can create a more balanced, natural-looking transformation. When these areas are addressed together, the result is not only more comprehensive but also more balanced and natural-looking.”
What is a Traditional or “Classic” Facelift? What Areas of the Face Does It Address?
A traditional facelift repositions the underlying soft tissue layers of the lower face and neck to a more youthful anatomic position in addition to tightening the skin. Incisions are placed along the hairline and around the contours of the ears to minimize the visibility of postsurgical scarring. This technique is ideal for patients who wish to address advanced signs of aging on the lower face, such as jowling and sagging of the neck.
“The term facelift can be a little misleading because the procedure does not tighten and lift the entire face as a whole,” says Dr. Kobienia. “It could more aptly be named a lower facelift because it focuses mainly on removing excess skin and tightening underlying tissues to elevate the midface and neckline to a more youthful position. This results in smoother, tighter skin from the cheekbones down to the neckline. However, if a patient has a heavy, hooded brow or drooping skin on the upper or lower eyelids, they will benefit from adding additional procedures to their facelift surgery to achieve a more complete transformation and rejuvenation of the overall face. That’s why at Edina Plastic Surgery, each facelift procedure is completely customized and tailored to the individual needs of each patient. During your consult, we’ll discuss not only how a facelift may help you achieve your goals but also how and why additional procedures may enhance and optimize your outcome.”
Here’s how adding one or more complementary procedures to your facelift surgery can take your transformation to a whole new level, giving you a renewed sense of confidence and a more youthful appearance!
#1 – Brow Lift
A brow lift smooths forehead lines and lifts sagging eyebrows to open up the eye area and restore a refreshed, more alert expression. When performed alongside a facelift, it ensures the upper and lower halves of the face age in harmony—preventing a mismatch between a youthful lower face and a tired-looking brow.
“A heavy brow with deep horizontal lines can make a person appear angry, tired, and older than they actually are, which can be really disheartening,” says Dr. Kobienia. “A brow lift can do wonders for refreshing the upper face and even the eyes to some degree, which makes it the perfect complement to a facelift. Performed together, they simultaneously restore a more youthful appearance to the overall face.”
#2 – Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery)
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, addresses drooping upper eyelids and/or puffy under-eye bags, which can make you appear fatigued or older than you feel. When paired with a facelift, an upper and/or lower blepharoplasty surgery can enhance overall facial rejuvenation by giving your eyes a more rested and vibrant appearance.
“An eyelid lift is a relatively brief surgery compared to other facial procedures, but its results are some of the most impactful in plastic surgery,” stresses Dr. Kobienia. “Over time, upper eyelids often develop an excessively full or droopy appearance, and lower lids may develop a combination of puffy fat pads and lax skin that drag down the undereye area. Surgery for these conditions can provide a more rejuvenated appearance and even improve vision when loose skin is heavy enough to block the eyes. As a surgeon, I enjoy combining eyelid surgery with facelifts because the eyes are such a focal point of the face. When needed, blepharoplasty can dramatically elevate the results of your facelift surgery.”
#3 – Rhinoplasty (Nose Reshaping)
Subtle changes to the shape or size of your nose can make a dramatic difference in the balance of your facial features. Rhinoplasty performed in conjunction with a facelift can create a more harmonious profile, allowing the refined contours of your lower face to truly shine.
“Whether we realize it or not, there is a mathematical balance to beauty,” says Dr. Kobienia. “Our eyes love to behold things that are symmetrical and in harmony, including facial features. If you have ever seen before and after pictures of a rhinoplasty patient and thought to yourself, ‘Wow…their entire face looks different,’ it’s because having the nose reshaped into better proportion with the rest of the facial features makes the entire face appear more balanced and attractive. This is why complementing facelift surgery with a rhinoplasty can have such a transformational result. Not only are you turning back the hands of time to reveal a more youthful-looking face, but you’re also improving the ideal ratios and balance between all of the features.”
#4 – Neck Liposuction
While a facelift at Edina Plastic Surgery also includes a neck lift to tighten sagging skin, some patients may benefit from reducing the bulk or volume under their chin to enhance their profile further. Neck liposuction removes stubborn fat deposits under the chin and along the jawline to restore more youthful contours. This dual approach sharpens your neck and jawline definition, making your results even more striking and cohesive.
#5 – Facial Fat Transfer
Volume loss is a major contributor to facial aging. Facial fat transfer restores lost volume by using your own fat to plump areas such as the cheeks, temples, or under the eyes. When performed in conjunction with a facelift, it enhances facial contours, giving a fuller, softer, and more youthful appearance.
“Loose, sagging skin, heavy jowls, and deep wrinkles tend to be the key things patients are concerned about with facial aging, but volume loss is also a crucial component to consider,” stresses Dr. Kobienia. “Over time, the fat that gives our faces youthful fullness and definition begins to disappear, and the collagen and elastin that supports the skin diminishes. This overall loss of structure gives rise to wrinkles and sagging tissues. Facial fat grafting, which utilizes fat harvested via liposuction from other areas of the body and injects it into areas of the face that are deficient, can be used in combination with a facelift to restore youthful volume and smoothness. It can be a beautiful finishing touch to most facelift surgeries.”
Why Combine These Procedures With Facelift Surgery?
During your initial facelift consultation at Edina Plastic Surgery, your board-certified plastic surgeon will thoroughly assess your facial anatomy and aging patterns to recommend the ideal combination of procedures. There are many benefits to combining surgeries, including:
- More harmonious, natural-looking results
- A single recovery period instead of multiple downtimes
- Reduced overall cost due to shared anesthesia
“If and when a plastic surgeon recommends multiple procedures during your facelift consultation, please do not take offense or assume you are trying to be upsold,” advises Dr. Kobienia. “We are making these recommendations based on what we know will get you the best overall result and help you achieve your aesthetic goal. More often than not, this will include addressing other areas of the face to ensure the most natural-looking, balanced outcome. It’s a strategic approach that helps patients achieve maximum results with minimal interruption to their lives.”
Refine and Maintain Your Facelift Surgery Results with Skin Artisans Med Spa
Surgical enhancement is only part of the story when it comes to full facial rejuvenation. Your skin’s tone, texture, vibrancy, and overall health matter too! That’s why Edina Plastic Surgery offers the Full Focus Facelift, a comprehensive experience that partners you with an Advanced Practice Esthetician at Skin Artisans Med Spa. Together, we’ll prepare your skin pre-surgery with laser treatments like BBL photorejuvenation and laser resurfacing and maintain your results afterward with a personalized skincare regimen. It’s a synergy of surgery and skin health that ensures you look your absolute best—long term.
A Facelift Can Be Life-Changing
“Undergoing plastic surgery is more than just a cosmetic change; it can be a deeply empowering experience,” says Dr. Kobienia. “A facelift doesn’t just refresh your appearance, it revitalizes your confidence, aligns how you look with how vibrant and youthful you feel inside, and can genuinely change how you see yourself in the mirror every day. I never take for granted how special it is to be a part of this journey with my patients. It is truly an honor.”
Ready to explore how a Full Focus Facelift and complementary procedures can transform your appearance and your confidence? Schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Brian Kobienia or any of the trusted, board-certified plastic surgeons at Edina Plastic Surgery today by calling (952) 592-7782, texting (952) 925-1765 or CLICKING HERE. We can’t wait to partner with you!
